Deadline issued for E Timorese rebels

By Stephanie March

Posted 25 minutes ago

East Timor's government has issued a deadline for rebel soldiers involved in attacks on the country's leaders to hand themselves in.

East Timor's military commander, Taur Matan Ruak, says Gastao Salsinha must surrender to authorities by the end of the day or he will begin a joint operation with the international stabilisation forces to bring in the rebel leader.

He says Prosecutor General Longuinhos Monteiro spent the past four days in the mountains negotiating with Salsinha and that he cannot afford to waste any more of the Prosecutor General's time.

Of the 14 arrest warrants issued for those responsible for the February 11 attacks on the country's leaders, only two have been served.